Man Utd switch hotels from Lowry to Hilton in Manchester city centre on eve of derby clash

MANCHESTER UNITED have changed team hotel as they prepare for the derby against rivals Man City.

The Red Devils have traditionally stayed at The Lowry in the city centre on the eve of a home match.

Eamonn and James Clarke5 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has decided to use a new team hotel prior to the Manchester derbyEamonn and James Clarke5 Jesse Lingard and his Man United team-mates assembled at the Hilton Hotel in Deansgate tonight

And due to problems with traffic congestion, the squad have also occasionally stopped at the Hilton Garden Inn at Lancashire Cricket Ground.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has decided against both bases ahead of the showdown with their neighbours.

A NEW BASE

Instead, he and his men reported for duty this evening at The Hilton Hotel on Deansgate, located exactly two miles away from Old Trafford.

United were late for their Champions League group match against Valencia earlier in the campaign, leading to the original change under Mourinho.

And the former United boss even ended up walking to the Theatre of Dreams from Lancashire’s cricket ground when they hosted Juventus later that month.

Now it seems Solskjaer has opted for the hotel formerly used by Wednesday’s opponents as his side’s top four hopes hang in the balance.

It’s a venue well-known to the Norwegian, who attended the Tackle4MCR charity dinner at The Hilton in February.

TEAM NEWS

But he did not have a full array of players as United rounded-up, with Phil Jones among the absentees after being forced off injured in the 4-0 embarrassment at Everton.

Victor Lindelof will most likely now partner Chris Smalling at centre-back after his poor display at full-back in the Goodison Park shambles.

The Toffees inflicted a huge blow to United’s Champions League qualification aspirations as they inflicted a sixth defeat out of eight on Solskjaer’s men.

But despite some now questioning the decision to give him the job permanently last month instead of waiting until the summer to decide, the former striker was bullish about the task ahead.

Solskjaer said: “I'm confident in my team and myself. I’ll be ready to take this challenge on.

“I know it's a big challenge and that’s why, when I came in here, I said I'm going to enjoy every single second. I don't like losing but it's a challenge all the managers at this club have had.

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“When you go through bad results, you’ve got to be confident enough to say this is the way we're going to do it and plan ahead.”

He added: “I like all these boys, I love them because they’re great lads. But I've got to make decisions and manage for the club. I'm managing the club and helping the players but I manage for the club.

“But we’re going to put all our efforts into making sure we do what we think is right for the club.”

Eamonn and James Clarke5 Paul Pogba blasted his team-mates after United's dismal defeat at EvertonEamonn and James Clarke5 David De Gea will be desperate for a clean sheet when he faces the club's neighbours tomorrowEamonn and James Clarke5 Marcus Rashford and the rest of the Red Devils usually stayed at The Lowry in Manchester city centre the night before home games